Center Valley, PA (October 3, 2006) – Junior Casey Opdyke (Bath, PA/Northampton) led a furious DeSales comeback scoring two goals and helping the Bulldogs erase a 4-2 halftime deficit to record a dramatic 6-5 win over Ramapo College in a non-conference field hockey game on a picture perfect Tuesday afternoon.

 

        Opdyke was sensational from her stopper position continually stepping into the midfield to take control of a loose ball and was equally as impressive on the offensive end scoring twice, both times off penalty corners, including the goal that tied the game at four.  The win keeps DSU (7-4 overall) a perfect 6-0 at home this season as they welcome The University of Scranton to Center Valley on Saturday for a  Freedom Conference showdown.

 

        Opdyke gave DSU a 1-0 lead with her first goal, an unassisted tally, at the 2:45 mark.  The Roadrunners (4-6 overall) answered with the next three goals over a 25 minute span to take a 3-1 lead at the 28:13 mark.  Just 34 seconds later freshman Meghan Iudicello (Nazareth, PA/Pen Argyl) made it a 3-2 game with her third goal of the season off a feed from junior Ashley Sparango (Salfordville, PA/Souderton), but Ramapo answered pushing the lead back to two with just over four minutes left in the first half and the score stood at 4-2 entering the locker rooms.

 

        The second half was all DeSales as they controlled play and out-shot RC, 15-3.  Sparango made it a 4-3 game with an unassisted tally at 43:37 and Opdyke tied the game at 45:32 on a corner play off assists from junior Jen Pulcini (Easton, PA/Easton) and Sparango.

 

        The game was scoreless over the next 11+ minutes before Devin Flynn scored her third goal of the game on a beautiful centering pass from Ashley Zimmerman.  DSU wasted no time tying the game as the combination of Sparango/Iudicello struck again at 58:47 to tie the score at five.

 

        The game was still tied with less than 10 minutes left when Pulcini gave DSU its first lead since 1-0.  She dribbled down the right side, dodged two Roadrunner defenders and then scored on a shot that sailed over the GK’s head from the extreme right post.  The goal was Pulcini’s eighth of the year and ended the scoring with DSU recording the 6-5 win.

 

        The Bulldogs controlled play most of the game as they out-shot Ramapo, 31-9, for the game and held an 11-5 edge in penalty corners.  Freshman Molly Pope (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) made three saves, while Jenna Feminello was excellent in between the pipes for Ramapo recording 16 saves.